Mechanical toy



' July 21, 1925.

I L. S. GUNDERMAN MECHANICAL TOY Filed Nov. 10, 1924 i N \w T A m A my v w A g g o fil 0.953990 00 o a W l r N r. 3\ y 1Q m WA Wm: 55 is m 7.

Patented July 21, 1925.

LESTER S. GUNDER'MAN, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANICAL TOY.

Applie'altionzfiled November 10, 1924. Serial .No. 748,986.

To all c'ukome't may concern:

Be it "known that 1, LESTER S. Gunner.- M'AN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 251 Kennedy Ave, Pittsburgh, in the -county 0 f Allegheny'and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain-new and uset' ul Improvements in hieehan-i'oal Toys, of which the following; is a specification.

This invention "is "for a mechanical toy of the type in which a miniature vehicle is raised from a lowerflevel to ail-elevated position from which it gravitates back to a lower level then-through a loop ando-n to'a still lower level at which it is stopped at the end of the tracks, mechanical means being provided tor-raising the vehicle from a lower level to a higher leyel.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a pleasing toy of simple mechanical construction, which-is compact and may be cheaply manufactured.

The purpose is to provide a toywhich will continue to operate automatically lifting a Vehicle until it gravitates back to a low point.

To provide a structural track so adapted to have a cheap and durable construction and means whe-reby the "ends of the sections o t tracks are readily and securely connected.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view'of the assembled toy, showing the parts'in -'one-p'osition.

9.. is a plan 'view the car being removed.

F-ig. is a part plan view of the "hinge end of the tracks.

7 Fig. 1 is anend View of tracks showing the hinge pivots.

Fig. 5. is' a plan of the hinge part.

Fig. "6. is a side View of the hinge.

7 is a part section View o-f'the track stop.

Referring to the drawi-ngy9 designates a rectangular base preferably of. sheet steel material with downwardly turned edges. Secured to the base is a looped track 10"ha'v ingslightly upturned ends 11 and 12 to which are secured hinges 1 3 and 1 1 by bolts 00 or other means to {minimize space in pack- *ing the toy forshipment, a pair 'oi swinging tracks 15 and 16 arepi'vote'd at 17 and '18 to thehinges-13 and 141. The tracks-1O 15 and 16 are p-referably made of a thin strip-oi steel, their cross section being in a channel shape turned upwardly as shown in Fig. 21. One 'end o 'f'the tracks 15 and '16' h'ave their ends bent outwardly towards each side forming a pair of pivots 17 and 18 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The outward end portions 19 and 20 or" the tracks 15 and 16 are bent downwardly for retarding the movement of the rolling object 21 until the tracksv are raised high enough that enough energy is -'deri'ved in its downward course oirthetracks15 and 16 to carry the object around the loop 10 and *across the opposite track to the abutnients -'01' stops 22 which arrest the progress o f the 'oh ect and -'preyent the QlO3GCtfroin 'leaving the tracks when being elevated.

In the drawing the track '15 is shown in a "downward position and the track 16 is shown in an upward or e levated position and the rolling object "just leaving the end of the track. The tracks '15 and 16 are provided With "a series of holes 23 for lessening the weight 01E track to be lifted by the motor 24 which is mounted-on top of the lo'oped track 10. The motor isnot shown in "detail but maybe-of anyconventional d sign. luiounted on the motor sha-ftis =a'crank arm 25 carrying a pivot beazring 2-6 on the end thereof.

A pair of connecting bars 27 and 28 have 'one end providedwith abearing adapted to fit on pivot bearing 26the other end of'the connecting "bar beingfprovided with pivot bearings 29 and-3O which reside in the ends of brackets 31 and 32 the lower ends ofthe brackets are mounted 'to the underside of the tracks 15 and 16. The upper surface of "the hinges 1'3 and 14 areprov ided withupward'ly fQIlTiGCl'pTOjCt-l11g i lpS which extend into slots in the looped track :and prevents the ends of the track 15 and '16 'fromhaving a swaying motion.

The rolling object 21 may be'constructed of any suitable wheeled design.

The operationo'i-thetop may now be described. Assuming that the rolling'object 2J1-isin a position at t'he end of track 15 the motor ro'tates crank arm 25 in such a direction as to cause the connecting bar 27 to raise track l5 'to such a position as shown by track 16 in Fig. 1. The connecting bar 28 has now caused track 16 to be lowered to the position as shown by track 15 in Fig. 1.

The car reaching the elevated position will then roll down track 15 through loop 10 then to the end of track 16 when track 15 is lowered and track 16 is sufiiciently elevated the car 21 will gravitate back to the position as when started and the cycle of op erations will be repeated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily ap parent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, and while describ ing the principle 01 operation of the inven tion together with the device which is now considered to be the best embodiment thereof, it is to be understood. that the device shown is merely illustrative and that various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention.

1. An automatic toy comprising a stationary loop and reversely incline tracks, and means for elevating the ends of one track and alternately lowering the end of the opposite track, and an object adapted to travel on the tracks by gravity, elevating the end of one track serves to elevate the said object from whence it will roll through a loop to the end of the opposite track.

2. An automatic toy, comprising a looped track, a pair of tracks hinged at one end of each to the end of the center track its opposite end being bent downwardly for retarding a rolling object, said tracks being so positioned that their free ends may be alternatively elevated and objects adapted to roll on said tracks by gravity.

8. An automatic toy, comprising a stationary looped track having a pair of tracks mounted at one end of each to the ends of the center track, said tracks being so. positioned at each end that their outwardlyextended ends may be alternatively elevated and an object adapted to roll on said tracks by gravity.

4. An automatic toy, comprising a stationary center looped track, and end tracks hinged at one end of each to one end of the center track, the free ends of the said end tracks being arranged to move higher than the center track, and a rolling object adapted to travel on said tracks and to be transferred from one end of one track to the opposite end of the other by gravity.

5. An automatic toy, comprising 'a'stationary looped track, a pair of end tracks hinged at one end to one end of the looped track, the free ends of the said hinged tracks beingarranged to swing upwardly, and

power driven means for continuously raising and lowering the tracks alternatively during the operation of the toy, and a roll ing object adapted to travel on the tracks by gravity and to be transferred from one track to the other by the lifting motion thereof.

6. An automatic toy, comprising a pair of tracks hinged-at one end of each to a stationary looped track, means of alternatively elevating the ends of said pair of tracks in an upwardly direction and a traveling object arranged to roll in said tracks by gravity, the arrangement being such that the elevating of the hinged tracks elevates said object at the ends of said tracks along which it moves to the other end of said tracks, whence it is again elevated to return back to the opposite end. 7. An automatic toy comprising a pair of oppositely disposed, upwardly swinging tracks positioned at each end of a stationary looped track, means for swinging said tracks in an upwardly direction to alternatively elevate opposite ends, and an object to travel in the tracks by gravity, the said end tracks having their ends bent downwardly being arranged to retard the rolling object until a predetermined height is reached when said object rolls to the farthest end of the tracks, the upwardly swinging motion of said tracks serving to elevate said object for returning to the opposit position to be again elevated. I

8. An automatic toy, comprising a pair of end tracks hinged to the end of a stationary looped track, means for positively elevating one end of said hinged tracks, and an object to travel on said'tracks, connecting bars having one end pivoted on said end track, a crank pin engaging opposite ends of said connecting bars means for driving said crank pin, said crank pin and said connecting bars being arranged to raise and lower the tracks, and'an object to roll from one track to the other by gravity.

9.}111 automatic toy, comprising a central looped track, a pair of tracks having one end of each hinged to the adjacent end or the looped track its opposite ends being arranged toalternatively swing upwardly and objects adapted to roll on said track, said hinged tracks having a portion of their outward ends bent downwardly to retard the backward movement of the said object when being elevated to the predetermined position from whence it gravitates to the opposite end of the opposite track and the upwardly swinging of the track returns the object to its initial position. I

10. An automatic toy, comprising a stationary looped track, a pair of tracks hinged to the looped track in order that an object adapted to roll on said tracks may be received from one end of the end tracks to the opposite end of the end track and be returned to the opposite end of said end tract; one section of the end tracks near the ends thereof being bent downwardly and the ends of said tracks having their ends bent upwardly, means for holding said object on the said tracks, a pair of connecting bars having one end of each pivoted on the said tracks a crank pin engaging opposite ends of said connecting bars, means for driving said crank pin, said crank pin and said connecting bar being arranged to raise and lower the pair of tracks, and an object to roll down one track to the other by gravity.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LESTER S. GUN DERMAN. 

